Review of My Living Will
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Kimoy Thomas-Williams
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Review of My Living Will
[Following is a volunteer review of "My Living Will" by John Trautwein.]
I highly recommend My Living Will by John Trautwein to any person who frequently interacts with young persons between the ages of 12 and 18 years. This book is a very emotional and eye-opening read which sees Trautwein invite his readers into his private world which is plagued with trials and grief.
Trautwein reveals that he has lost his 15 year old son Will, to suicide. His seemingly perfect familial life comes crashing down when this heartbreaking event takes place. The words used to describe the impact this suicide has on Trautwein’s family cause the reader to almost experience the emotional turmoil suffered by Trautwein’s friends and family.
Indeed, the reader is even exposed to the funeral arrangements that are made as well as the difficult decisions that Will’s family has to make such as what to do with his now empty bedroom and his university fund. I truly appreciate the fact that Trautwein highlights to his readers that no matter how bad a situation is, a person can always turn it into something positive. The reader sees that Will’s suicide brings schools, sports teams, a town and even a number of States together. Everyone who may have interacted with this 15 year old boy comes together and takes action to reduce the number of suicides that take place in the US.
Trautwein reveals that he has since started speaking to schools, sports teams, parents and teachers on what steps can be taken to prevent suicide. A foundation called A Will to Live Foundation has also been formed which targets young persons and raises awareness on suicide and suicide prevention. This foundation also provides scholarships for youths that are seen to be true team leaders who foster care and cooperation among their team mates.
An important lesson expounded in this book is that teenagers who commit suicide do not always show that they are depressed. They may not always be locked away in their bedrooms alone and show aggressive or strange behavior. In Will’s case, he was outgoing, sociable, happy and popular among his peers. This was a real shocker to me and I hope that persons who read this book spread this message to their friends. The reality is that many young persons struggle with so many issues such as school stresses, social media pressure, parental misunderstandings and the list goes on. As such, parents, caregivers and other persons who interact with these young persons must always be patient and willing to listen to them when they speak or want to speak.
Trautwein also emphasizes the fact that parents will not always have the answer and should be honest with their children and tell them so. He believes that children appreciate honesty more than if their parents simply tell them what to do and not acknowledge the fact that they too need guidance that they too are still trying to figure life out.
I cannot think of anything that I do not like in this book. It is very well-edited and the chapters are short which make it a very easy and informative read. Trautwein’s vulnerability in his writing makes me respect him as an author. He simply writes all that he has experienced since the death of his son. He does not gloss it over but rather shares with the readers his raw and real emotions. He further shares pictures of his late son which is very somber and another way in which he exposes himself to his readers.
It is to be noted that there is frequent mention of God, the Bible and religion in this book. However, I do not think that non-believers or persons of different religious beliefs should be discouraged from reading it because of this factor. This book addresses a plague in society that affects all persons regardless of religion and it shares some vital information on how persons of all ages can assist in eradicating it.
Towards the end of the book, a useful acronym is provided for young persons to practice in instances where they may have a friend who is thinking of ending his life. The acronym is ACT which stands for:
Acknowledge if your friend tells you he is depressed or angry and wants to die
Care about what your friend is telling you and show him that you care
Tell an adult that can be trusted about what your friend wants to do.
Trautwein also provides a number of useful hotline numbers that can be called if someone is thinking of committing suicide or knows someone who is.
As far as potential readers are concerned I recommend that persons aged 18 years and older read this book as the content of this book is a bit heavy and may have a negative effect on younger minds.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars only because there are a few spelling and grammatical errors. Nevertheless, it is truly a very informative read and I urge all adults who engage with young persons to read it. This book can most definitely be deemed a useful tool in the fight against suicide among teenagers.
******
My Living Will
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I highly recommend My Living Will by John Trautwein to any person who frequently interacts with young persons between the ages of 12 and 18 years. This book is a very emotional and eye-opening read which sees Trautwein invite his readers into his private world which is plagued with trials and grief.
Trautwein reveals that he has lost his 15 year old son Will, to suicide. His seemingly perfect familial life comes crashing down when this heartbreaking event takes place. The words used to describe the impact this suicide has on Trautwein’s family cause the reader to almost experience the emotional turmoil suffered by Trautwein’s friends and family.
Indeed, the reader is even exposed to the funeral arrangements that are made as well as the difficult decisions that Will’s family has to make such as what to do with his now empty bedroom and his university fund. I truly appreciate the fact that Trautwein highlights to his readers that no matter how bad a situation is, a person can always turn it into something positive. The reader sees that Will’s suicide brings schools, sports teams, a town and even a number of States together. Everyone who may have interacted with this 15 year old boy comes together and takes action to reduce the number of suicides that take place in the US.
Trautwein reveals that he has since started speaking to schools, sports teams, parents and teachers on what steps can be taken to prevent suicide. A foundation called A Will to Live Foundation has also been formed which targets young persons and raises awareness on suicide and suicide prevention. This foundation also provides scholarships for youths that are seen to be true team leaders who foster care and cooperation among their team mates.
An important lesson expounded in this book is that teenagers who commit suicide do not always show that they are depressed. They may not always be locked away in their bedrooms alone and show aggressive or strange behavior. In Will’s case, he was outgoing, sociable, happy and popular among his peers. This was a real shocker to me and I hope that persons who read this book spread this message to their friends. The reality is that many young persons struggle with so many issues such as school stresses, social media pressure, parental misunderstandings and the list goes on. As such, parents, caregivers and other persons who interact with these young persons must always be patient and willing to listen to them when they speak or want to speak.
Trautwein also emphasizes the fact that parents will not always have the answer and should be honest with their children and tell them so. He believes that children appreciate honesty more than if their parents simply tell them what to do and not acknowledge the fact that they too need guidance that they too are still trying to figure life out.
I cannot think of anything that I do not like in this book. It is very well-edited and the chapters are short which make it a very easy and informative read. Trautwein’s vulnerability in his writing makes me respect him as an author. He simply writes all that he has experienced since the death of his son. He does not gloss it over but rather shares with the readers his raw and real emotions. He further shares pictures of his late son which is very somber and another way in which he exposes himself to his readers.
It is to be noted that there is frequent mention of God, the Bible and religion in this book. However, I do not think that non-believers or persons of different religious beliefs should be discouraged from reading it because of this factor. This book addresses a plague in society that affects all persons regardless of religion and it shares some vital information on how persons of all ages can assist in eradicating it.
Towards the end of the book, a useful acronym is provided for young persons to practice in instances where they may have a friend who is thinking of ending his life. The acronym is ACT which stands for:
Acknowledge if your friend tells you he is depressed or angry and wants to die
Care about what your friend is telling you and show him that you care
Tell an adult that can be trusted about what your friend wants to do.
Trautwein also provides a number of useful hotline numbers that can be called if someone is thinking of committing suicide or knows someone who is.
As far as potential readers are concerned I recommend that persons aged 18 years and older read this book as the content of this book is a bit heavy and may have a negative effect on younger minds.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars only because there are a few spelling and grammatical errors. Nevertheless, it is truly a very informative read and I urge all adults who engage with young persons to read it. This book can most definitely be deemed a useful tool in the fight against suicide among teenagers.
******
My Living Will
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
